The Bad and The Beautiful
by Cielito
Summary: AU: John Sheppard smiled, knowing that from that moment on, his life would never be the same. John/Teyla
1. Chapter 1

Fic: AU The Bad and The Beautiful

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Some mild language

Characters: John/Teyla

Word Count: 10,818+

Comments: Fic is complete. A total of 14 Chapters.

Prompt: Detective John Sheppard Meets Teyla

Summary: John Sheppard smiled, knowing that from that moment on, his life would never be the same.

Prologue

Detective John Sheppard woke up in a bed he did not recognize with a woman whose name he could not recall. But that wasn't the best part; the woman held a gun in his mouth.

Surprisingly, she was partially naked, sitting astride his chest, her black lace bra barely holding back her pendulous breasts glistening with sweat in the hot foggy lighted room. To his disappointment, these things were not helping his current situation, nor did it help him to think straight. For she was, for a lack of a better word, drop-dead-gorgeous!

Yes, a gorgeous woman, whose name he couldn't recall, and who had somehow managed to handcuffed his wrists to the painted iron bedposts he was now banging against the plaster wall in a valiant effort to free himself.

Vaguely, he tried to remember how the hell he'd gotten himself into this situation. Well, part of it he could figure it out.

He's _almost _certain that she made the first move because John Sheppard is many things, but hitting on women and succeeding is not one of his best qualities.

In fact, most times, when he got lucky, it was because a woman picked him up when he least expected it because the ones he pursued wooing always turned him down.

Like Betsy, the next door girl. She wouldn't even go out with him even after he had saved her life! It wasn't so much as a life and death situation, but if he hadn't stormed into her apartment after seeing all that smoke coming out of her front door, who knows what would have happened to her, to him and to the apartment complex! Mind you, it was his little incident that had cause the fire in the first place. Yes, she hung to that one as another excuse to turn him down; unlike his ex-wife, Nancy.

She had been different. Nancy came on to him. In fact, he's not even sure that he ever actually proposed to her. It just happened. She made it all happened. Yet, in all fairness, he really thought she was the one that would finally straighten him out. Wait. NO. Those were his dad's words. His dad thought she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Until he came back from that horrible Afghanistan fiasco and she told him she had found someone else. Who the hell cared that he was never there! They had been married, for Pete's sake!

That's why, John Sheppard never got attached. It wasn't worth it. In the end, you'd get your ass whipped and your heart shattered into pieces. Sure, he could blame Nancy for their broken marriage, but in reality, it was his fault. He simply hadn't been invested. She wanted the fairy tale house - he took her to live in his apartment. She dreamed of traveling the world with him - he went and fought a war in Afghanistan and left her at home. While she yearn motherhood - he stood helpless in a bloody war, holding too many children's corpses in his arms. All she wanted was to spend time with him, but he wanted to keep her safe and away from him.

He simply wasn't there for her. He was never there. He was not the marrying type, end of story.

Then of course, there's Larrin. She is exotic, fun, dangerous and all sorts of trouble.

She's a piece of work. Beats the shit out of you, then screw you like there's no tomorrow, all within a matter of minutes, too.

Which is why he distanced himself from the smart ones, the goddesses that walked around knowing it all, wanting it all and claiming it all. Yeah, those that can whip your ass with a glance, that can numb your feet with a wink and that can send the little guy into a whipping mush.

And this unknown beauty sitting astride his chest, looking down on him now, was most certainly one of those.

So, why the hell was he strapped up to a bedpost, half-naked, with a growing hard-on, and her gorgeous body straddling over him with a gun in his mouth?

Yeah, you sure did it this time, John.

Whipping his head from side to side and banging his wrists against the bed-frame wasn't helping, so after awhile, he stopped. First, because it hurt. Second, because it wasn't doing a damn thing to either get her to take that gun of his mouth nor loosening his wrists. Third, because it felt so good when he finally stopped.

He tried to smile at his own pain free moment, but soon realized that he couldn't even do that with the muzzle of an oily .357 scraping the roof of his mouth.

_Think, John, think, _he told himself. Be professional. This isn't the end of the world, nor is this the worse scenario you've found yourself in. It's simply another one of life's lessons. Today's lesson: don't screw around in a bar full of cheap low-life and don't enter the one that has a poster of your face right smack in the middle of the dart board. Stay sober and above all, avoid women, especially the ones that look just like this one on top of you, now!

He kept repeating this to himself over and over again now, but it wasn't doing him any good. After all, detective Sheppard has been through just about everything bad that life can bring, and he's still here to tell the story.

John Sheppard was more than a survivor. He lived for the moment. Lived with a reckless agenda that required no one to worry for him if anything ever bad ever did happen to him.

Not that he walked around with a death wish, no. John Sheppard wanted to live, but he lived to fight for others. Never quite for himself.

John took a few deep breaths like he's been trained to do when captured. He tried to stabilized his beating heart, which he was quite sure was a combination of the half naked woman on top of him, plus the fact that she had a gun in his mouth.

_Damn, that wasn't working, either. Get your head in gear, and lay it all in front of you. Shit! That's not right either. She's sitting on top of you right now. Damn, what a woman! _

Right now, his emotions were unclear about this woman. And yet...

He would kill to know her name but he felt that at this point introductions would be awkward. Even if she removed the gun from his mouth, what was he going to say?

_Hi, my name is John Sheppard. I like Ferris wheels, college football and anything that goes more than two hundred miles per hour. _

_Focus, John. Okay. _

He closed his eyes and it was all slowly started to take shape.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to all for the reviews.

Sorry about the title there, it shouldn't read prologue next to it. The title should read The Bad and the Beautiful, but for some reason, it's remained that way.

On a side note: Please keep me and my family and those in the East Coast in the United States in your prayers. The next 24 hours we are being hit by a very bad Hurricane, Irene. It's hit already in NC and in other coastal areas where 8 have already died, and over 1 million are out of power. And we haven't seen nothing yet.

Hence, depending on how we are affected here in the states, there may not be an update for a while.

God bless all of us.

Enjoy!

Part 1

He was somewhere in Athos. He was certain of it. He had wondered somewhere into the backstreets of the small town because he was hungry. Yeah, he was hitting that age where he could no longer get away without going for days without any food and still want to keep things up.

It had been a week since he'd taken shelter under an actual roof and the last bed he actually slept on was under a rainstorm with the roof leaking profusely.

He'd only been in Athos a day when he started seeing a bad Xerox printed copy of his face plastered all over the charming town. Printed under his poorly mug was a rather large round number calculated in both pesos and dollars.

There was a bounty on his head and he didn't even know why!

What the hell did he do this time? Well, that started to make sense too.

He'd been burned by his own people.

Yeah, that little screw up with the notorious scientist Rodney McKay, and all that crap mumbo jumbo about secret agents from who knows where the hell. A time portal, and alternate realities were subjects the altruistic scientist loved to talk about, but that was his fantasy, not John's.

John had to go into hiding. Elizabeth had told him to go to a small tavern where she had received word of an undercover agent that she was going to contact. He was to stay low until she could get some clearance for him to straightened this whole mess. Of course, she also had other plans for John while he was in Athos. Yet, John had something else in mind.

John Sheppard loved a good game of poker, a good beer bottle in his hand, with a lot of money in his pockets. He also owed a lot of people a lot of money.

He didn't start of like that. When Nancy told him to hit the road, no matter how much he knew it was for the best, he was sure that it was the best for him. Though Nancy wasn't meant to be, she grounded him. He owed her. When it was over, he had nothing left.

And then came Chaya. She was Satan's' daughter disguised as an angel. One of the world's most desirable eligible woman is Chaya Sar. And he left her standing at the altar. She wanted him as her personal man-whore, which he was fine with, until she added, _till death do us part_. He was willing to sacrifice his body for a little while, but not his soul. Nor was he interested in anything even close to a permanent settlement. Apparently, she did. Yet, he didn't know what the hell was her problem, nor her notoriously deadly family, for he never proposed to her and if _she _had, he never accepted. Still, she claimed to own him.

_Creepy witch! _

Then, there was blond ditzy Meira who wanted him to reign with her forever, and have tons of blond blue-eyed super power babies. He'd be better off with a gun on his head, or his mouth!

Course, women weren't his only problem. Men were too!

Like Ladon Radim who wanted him to join forces with his Genii Army. He had pondered it for a second, until he glanced at their women, a mix between Hercules meets Atila the Hunt. Nah, some sacrifices weren't worth taking.

And then there's the fact that the Genii is trying to make the next Hitler Armada.

_Idiotic Genii. _

And how can he forget Augusts Koyla, a breathing, man-eating asshole with a loose gun that always seemed to be aimed at John's head. John made sure that SOB was taken care of after their last deadly match.

All of these people had a motive and John was sure they wanted his head delivered on a silver platter. Still, tied up to a bedpost is not what any of them would do to him if they ever captured him.

This beauty was working alone or with someone unknown to him. _Great, _he thought to himself as he laid there in bed. Another to add to his list.

Yes, this woman was not working for any of those freaks, and he's still undecided if he should add her to the _Not So Friendly List_. She did something to him. Clearly, not what he was after. Must have been something in the drink. What the hell was in that drink from last night? Everything was so foggy in his mind. And who was this god-giving babe that he couldn't take his eyes off? What the hell kind of spell did she put on him?

Well, at least he could find comfort that his head was worth more than what he had in his pocket.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to all for the well wishes. I survived Irene, but the ramifications and the hell she left behind, I'm still dealing with. Still, God is good and all is well.

I should have two more chapters up by the end of this week.

Thank you to Foxyinthecity for all her suggestions. All errors are mine!

Thank you for all your kind reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy this story.

Part 2

In reality, Athos was just a tiny little town that was brought up in the map as a midway point to Atlantis.

Elizabeth sent him there. Rodney simply warned John to avoid meeting the one time runner now known as one bad-ass bounty hunter.

Yet, one thing John was certain of; the Genii were up to something. They had something to do with John's head shot posted all over Athos as a grand price.

At the time John had thought that asking around would be a good idea. He met a guy named Kanaan who had brought him to Halling. Halling was the leader of the Athosians, or so it was believed. In fact, many thought it was all a cover up since Athosians leaders had always been females.

Their last leader, Tagan had vanished. Apparently, her husband Torren, had messed around with the wrong crowd; A top-notch mafia group of people who called themselves the Wraith. Dealing with those guys was bad news, and somehow Torren had been caught in the middle of a bad warfare that caused him his life and that of his family.

Rumor had it that Tagan was the first to be abducted by the Wraith. As leader of her people, she took responsibility for her husband's wrongdoing, risking her life to save that of her family and her people. In the end, the Wraith didn't owe her or her family anything. These ruthless, deceiving, and cunning group craved only money, wealth and power. They didn't mess around.

After Tagan was taken, Torren fled with their two children. For a while, they were protected by the High Council; however, not long after, it was believe that an inside tip led the Wraith straight to where they were hiding. Eventually, they were captured and killed by the Wraith.

Yet, only two bodies were found; Torren's body and his teen-age son, Alkalis. After reading the medical report, John was sort of glad he hadn't been there that night. Apparently, it was a sight unlike anything ever seen before; their bodies desecrate, and abnormally aged.

It was unclear what type of weapon would cause such an atrocity to the human body. Stargate Command and the IOA have since feared that the forces of the Wraith were getting far too powerful and something had to be done fast; otherwise, a massacre would be in their hands. Hence, forces within the High Council and the IOA instructed Stargate Command to gather the best in the military to create a special ops team to find out just exactly what had happened. In addition, this secret task force prime objective was to infiltrate, weaken and eliminate the Wraith's new military along with their weapons defense systems.

John Sheppard wasn't part of the original opts team, he was still too young at the time, but he did play a role when he became the best pilot in the Air Force several years later. He was flying many of the team's specialists in and out of Antarctica, one of their top-secret hideouts. Not long after, John Sheppard was asked by General Jack O'Neill to join the team. John took the task very seriously, wanting not only to rectify the black mark that he carried for his insubordination in Afghanistan but also because he became extremely interested by this case. However, shortly after he joined, with no new developments, things settled down and the members of that task force were placed into other military sections until the day they would be called again.

After his father's sudden death, John went back home and became a detective for the local police department. Still, Stargate Command would check up with him and even ask him take on some assignments from time to time. Yet everywhere he went, it was inevitable to avoid the constant reminder of the mystery behind the Athosians, especially the Emmagan Family.

Tagan Emmagan's leadership had been unquestionable for many years. It was during her leadership that the Athosians prospered the most, and it was during her reign where they had lost everything. Hence the question among many was how was it that a group of people who once used to be the most highly technologically advanced race, had been too quickly shun to nothingness?

For many years, Tagan had led the Athosians into a most influential people. She was focused, determined, diplomatic, intelligent and graceful. She married Torren early in her years, but she conceived her children late in her years. Her second and last, was a daughter. The promise child from the stars, her people had called her. A prophecy foretold among her people involving one of their very own. A beautiful Athosian woman, descendant of the Emmagan lineage, who alongside a non-Athosian male warrior would break the ties of the High Council and together, would cause great turmoil against the high military and governmental powers, including the forces within the Wraith. Particularly, the prophecy stated clearly that the key to defeating the Wraith along with any other force against the current powers that be, depended entirely upon the meeting of the Athosian woman with the male warrior, for it was only side by side where these two would find strength, honor and victory.

Although many didn't believe in the prophecy, there was much concern within the members of the High Council. They wanted no one specific race to over power the rest. Thus the High Council kept a particularly close eye on the Athosian leaders, especially during Tagan's reign. And although she married an Athosian, Tagan represented such a role as foretold in the prophecy. So, when her daughter was born, the fear of that prophecy becoming a reality lingered among the members of the High Council, for even the Athosians proclaimed the fulfillment of the prophecy. Before everyone's eyes, a very real threat appeared in the form of a child.

After their deaths, many within the High Council questioned Tagan and Torren's actions. Many wondered why Torren would deal with the Wraith in the first place. There's the real possibility that it had something to do with his daughter. Tagan and Torren feared for her life and certainly doubted that the High Council had the best intentions for her. Hence, speculations were that Torren sought the Wraith for her protection. That in and of it self is strange, if it wasn't for yet another rumor that the Athosians and the Wraith were from the same ancestry.

For decades, the thinking was that within their lineage both races collided. In fact, some scientist within Stargate Command hypothesized that the Wraith spawned out of the Athosians. The link between the two would be significant, but the Athosians always denied such a beginning and the Wraith never spoke with any as to the truth of such lineage. Still, the connection was unclear, and even more so how it had anything to do with Tagan and Torren's daughter.

The Wraith were feared not just for their ability to create weapons of mass destruction, but they also had a unique trait within their race. They had the ability to communicate with one another; Wraiths were telepath. If there was a link between the Athosians and the Wraith at one time, it was never found within Athosian's genes. However, the birth of Torren and Tagans' daughter brought about a suspicion. It was believed that she carried the gene; a small trace of Wraith gene that would prove the lineage between the Athosians with the Wraith. There was also suspicion that she also inherited the Wraith telepathic abilities.

Why would a race hide such a truth was nothing of a mystery in this scenario. The Athosians were a proud people, and during their ancestral reign in society, they were the one race that had the technology to develop and further study the human DNA. Many experiments were launched by the Athosians crucial to the discoveries of numerous life threatening diseases all due to their DNA research. Yet, it was also believed that many unauthorized and unsanctioned experiments were held in their top security labs, which brought about much concerns to the High Council. All this secrecy created an unsettled concern within the Council, which resulted in the separation of two distinct military and governmental forces; Stargate Command and the IOA. Although they still work together for the High Council, each started and formed a new government. Two very powerful forces, once governed by the High Council, now had a representative sitting as one of its members. All in part caused by the allegations brought about the Athosians unsanctioned experiments. Yet it was this newly formed High Council that unanimously voted to ban Tagan and Torren as part of its council. Until the Athosians allowed full access to their labs to the High Council and until full investigations were permitted, the Athosians would not receive any support from the High Council or its representatives. At the time, it was thought to have been the best decision.

When the Athosian's research was no longer funded, times grew extremely desperate for their people. This is when it is also believed that faced in distressed for his family's life, Torren sought outside help from the Wraith. Though it was also assumed that Torren had dealt with the Wraith long before and it wasn't the first time that a representative betrayed the High Council's sanctions.

Several years before, a similar decision had been made with the Gennii people. They were also banned from the High Council because they were forming an army of their own to go up not just against the Wraith, but also against the High Council.

Still, there are more questions than answers, and most are buried with Tagan and Torren. Yet, if there is truth behind the Emmagan's daughter gene makeup, the ramifications are significant and life changing for the military and government leaders. In addition, others within the High Council suppose that there are more involved. Perhaps even knowing more about the Athosian's dealings with the Wraith, their lineage and their daughter's whereabouts. Many suspect treason within the High Council. The biggest fear being that whoever is responsible is also working with Augustus Koyla, the top military commander of the Genii people. Some speculate that the Genii might have been the ones that captured the young Athosian while others believe that Stargate Command have her hiding in the city of Atlantis.

For the longest time, there had been no further leads in regards to the Emmagan heir. For a while, it was believed that she must have been killed by the Wraith along with her brother and father. The Wraith had no interest in confirming any suspicions about the Athosians link to their race. They simply wanted to rule over the existing powers. So, if they had in fact captured the young girl, most likely, their chief scientist Michael, would have experimented on her, and ultimately killed her.

Still, these were just assumptions. There was much at stake to take on anything for more than what it is; insubstantial evidence. Hence, for more than just political affairs, the finding and solving the actual whereabouts of the Emmagan daughter is crucial for the High Council.

It was for this reason that two weeks ago, Stargate Command along with the IOA were suddenly interviewing all agents in the field starting from the time of Torren's disappearance up until the last trace of any leads to his daughter's disappearance. John had been called for that inquisition and things started to heat up again with the investigation. The Emmagan heir was believed to be alive and now a fully grown-woman. This brought all sorts of dark memories for John Sheppard. Ones that he had thought he'd forgotten while fighting in the Air Force, and most recently, behind a gambling table with a beer bottle in his hands, where all his insecurities, failures and misery quickly faded away.

As a young detective, John was always intrigued to find more about this young woman's whereabouts. Yet, as the years went by, and he was no longer as young, John's life took on many different turns. Soon, it became clear to him that there was no purpose in searching for the impossible. After the special ops team was ordered to stand down, John had gone through some pretty rough patches in his life. Unable to find the Athosian heir, and losing so many good soldiers in the raids with the Wraith had really caused a deep darkness within him. His life started spiraling down a broken path and John Sheppard started not caring about much of anything.

Because after all is said and done, John Sheppard isn't a believer, let alone a follower. All he wanted to do was find the woman. In reality, he was just a loner seeking out a dream that would never come true. For after searching for her for so long, he felt a kinship with an unknown. An unknown that not until recently had a face. A poor sketch picture enhanced in a computerized version of what is to believe would be her form today. Taken from descriptions from those that had met her and a random shot, confirmed her existence. John has not seen the shot of her, yet. But he was told she bore a striking resemblance of her mother's gracefulness, with the strength and power of a leader seeking out revenge. John Sheppard could identify with such a person. He knew the look behind a person's eyes with rage and fury, for he'd been there once too many times himself. Anger at his father's unrealistic expectations for him, disappointed at his failed relationships, burdened by his unsuccessful rescues, lost by his own past demons. He'd been through hell and back, but he was still standing. And since John Sheppard never passed on a challenge, his quest to find and meet the Athosian heir began long before Elizabeth's own political games.

For although John Sheppard didn't believe in any prophecy, he truly believed there is a living breathing Athosian Emmagan heir. She is of flesh and bones. And she is angry, hurt and fearless. Yet, she's also an heir that promises to be much like her mother, tenacious and dangerous.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you all for your reviews. Most of your questions will be answered. I hope you continue to enjoy the story. There's lots more and I promise, it will get even more interesting. At least I'm working on it.

Once again, thank you to my sweet, foxyinthecity for her insight. Yet, all errors are mine.

Comments are always loved.

Part 3

Elizabeth was one of John's trusted friends. Actually, she was probably John's only friend. After his father's passing, Elizabeth was the one that helped him cope with his loss and feelings of abandonment. He didn't want her help, but she gave it to him anyways. She was a beautiful woman, but she was way out of his league. Besides, she really wasn't his type. Too smart, too pushy, and too emotional. Another Nancy.

Elizabeth never showed him any interest, either. Yeah, they flirted here and there, but that was it. It never went any further and John made sure of that. Yet, she genuinely cared for him even when he didn't care for himself.

This all sort of started with Elizabeth, though. She was the one who planned out the details for him to go to Athos to meet her point man. Her motive for John going to Athos was different than his, but both involved the mystery of the Emmagan family, particularly the whereabouts of the Emmagan heir. This was her idea to get him back to work alongside her if she was appointed governor of Atlantis. In reality, John was in so much trouble that he couldn't distinguish right from wrong anymore. He didn't know when it happened or how but he was gambling too much, drinking too much, smoking too much and partying too much. The sex...no, there can never be enough of that, and he wasn't getting it that much either.

Still, Elizabeth was on her way to bigger and better things. That included a seat in the High Council and the first civilian to govern over the most powerful city within the alliance; Atlantis. Her first priority would be to assign John as the Military Commander of Atlantis. In order for her request to even be given some serious consideration by Stargate Command, the IOA and the High Council, John had to make some serious changes, including some butt-kissing to the man on the top. Furthermore, any discoveries that John would find about the Athosian woman would also look very good for Elizabeth and her quest as governor of Atlantis. It was Elizabeth's hope that once she was elected to govern the city, first on her list of priorities was to get as many allies as she could on her side.

Though her campaign was strong, and Elizabeth was very respected among many, she was running against two of the top heads in the world, one military governed by Stargate Command, and one non-military governed by the IOA; Samantha Carter and Richard Woolsey. Both extremely powerful and influential people with lots of support and money to back them up on this political warfare. In all fairness, John really liked Carter the best, but why would he ever confess that to Elizabeth. In the end, he'd do just about anything for her because he owed her just about everything. Still, the numbers were all against her and she needed to gain some advantage over the other two candidates. The whole case of the Emmagan Family was one that interested every political party because it could break the tides of power. And the whereabouts of the Emmagan heir was Elizabeth's ticket to become a formidable candidate. John figured Elizabeth was as much interested in the Athosian woman's whereabouts as much as he was, but he also knew that finding the heir would give her an advantage and a powerful ally on her side.

The whole thing gave John a headache, but the most obvious reason for his involvement in this chase was the fact that he needed money. He needed it fast. The High Council advertised a large sum for the safe return of the Emmagan Heir. If she was to be the next leader of her people, she was also the rightful heir to a hefty bank account. Although the Athosians were not what they once were, John was pretty sure they had some fire in them still, and he'd be willing to bet that not only was the heir of the Athosians wealthy by default, but she also had the capabilities to re-create a strong political and military power amongst her people. Whoever brought her to the front would be rewarded not only with money, but with substantial and significant political gains, as well. No questions asked either.

For John, this was a ticket back to normal society. He had pretty much ruined his military career, and although he was respected among those in Stargate Command and part of the IOA, the High Council didn't trust him. Not only that, his own family had pretty much deserted him, and he was on the verge of losing his badge for all the times that he broke the rules of engagement.

Regardless, John is a detective, but his superiors warned him of a possible future _sans_ Atlantis. For all intent and purposes, no one believed that Elizabeth would ever be governor of Atlantis any less than John would become the city's Military Commander. The odds are all against him, but that's how John always prefers to work. He has something to prove, not just to those questioning his abilities, but mostly, to himself.

When he first arrived in Athos, he thought there was something a little incongruous about the sight of golden domes and small taverns in the middle of this once mighty city called Athos. The people weren't that much different, either. Yet, for a time, everything had seemed to be right on track. Yet, somewhere between the meet and greet, between a lot of booze and no sex, something went very wrong. He remembered that all he wanted was to have some drinks and a warm bed. He wasn't asking much. With an address in his pocket and a cell phone number to call, losing himself in the hordes of merchants, peddlers, and smugglers, it was too easy to get wrapped up in all of it. When he spoke to Kanaan, it was clear that the guy was not a very well educated man. He was scrawny, a bit shy and clearly a messenger. It was while meeting with Halling that he had found out that there is a price tag on his head. The interesting thing about the encounter was that John had gone to see the man for information about their heir. In return, he found much more than he ever planned. For the Athosian people had a way with words and though John didn't particularly care for it, he did respect them for it.

Halling was abnormally tall, cautious with his words, and wiser than he should be for his years. He didn't speak much, but the little that he did say was enough for John to get the hint deliberately thrown his way by the man. First, he commented on John's snap shot, warning him to be careful around these parts, for there were many that were desperate for any amount of money regardless of what it would cause. Second, that there were powers at work that would bring about great changes to come, and that he, John Sheppard, would play a great role in the sands of time.

Another significant observation that came about this conversation with Halling was Kanaan's reactions to the man's precise words. John has trained in many things throughout his life. The importance of body language was one of these. Kanaan's cunning smile when Halling mentioned John's snap shot was intriguing, but the man also cringed nervously when Halling confessed to a great change in the days to come and how John would play an important role. This told John several things; a. he better get the Intel he came to get her soon and get the hell out of Athos, and b. There was no more denying the fact that the Athosians were hiding something or better yet, someone.

After John met with Halling, Kanaan had left him in the middle of nowhere, leaving him to walk all the way back in the dark to the tavern where he was staying for the night. He had hoped to come across the bounty hunter, but as of yet, he had no luck. He was supposed to call Elizabeth, but he'd rather not have to hear her whining. So, he opted to stay one more night and see where things led him. Otherwise, he'd head back to see her the next day.

He recalled the exact moment when he had walked into the tavern. There were more people than he remembered and quite a few new girls had entered the scene, too. That's when his spirits rose up a notch, for tonight he might as well get more than just a good night's rest.

If he thought about it really hard, he knew that from the moment that he walked into the tavern, to the point where he's now strapped to a bed post, It was all very innocent, at least from his point of view. And if the headache that was now pounding his head would just go away, he was sure he could relive it all back in his mind.

There were so many questions. Like, if the Athosians were in fact, hiding Tagan's daughter, why was she hiding and what the hell was she up to? Why not just claim her fortune, her throne and live a normal life? The money was certainly good. She'd be protected by Stargate Command and nothing and no one could harm her. Back when her parents were killed, things were different. People trusted one another and Atlantis hadn't been discovered, yet. This new city came with technology unlike any ever-detected elsewhere. Up to this point, the city was highly protected by a force field that could not be matched by any other, not even the Wraith's weapons could penetrate it. Back in Tagan and Torren's time, the city was hidden beneath the ocean's floor, undetected and protected. Yet, it was John's authentic genetic gene that triggered the controls of the much-searched city of Atlantis.

All pure coincidence, too.

He was at the right place, at the right time, and it all worked in his favor. With pretty much just a thought from John, a city awakened with all its wonders and powers, once sheltered underneath the oceanic floors for centuries. Hence, despite the fact that the High Council didn't trust John, they needed him. It was truly remarkable to see a city such as the city of Atlantis respond to one man as it did. And that man was no other than John Sheppard. Others tried, but none had the ability to understand and power the city like John Sheppard. And for only the past few months, had he been appointed as the second in command of the city, under the military command of Colonel Sumner. Yet, he was walking on thin ice, and his walking papers would be thrown his way very soon, unless he brought something drastically to the table.

For despite the fact that John didn't really care for power or glory, he did love the city. Within its walls he found refuge, hope and a home. It was while in the city, where he found a purpose, a reason and a way for him to clear his mind and mend his ways, but it was only by this opportunity that he could get the chance of staying and working in Atlantis.

And all of it came back to one factor: finding the Athosian heir.

In contrast to the city of Atlantis, Athos now lacked many things, one being people. There were so few of them now. Their practices and their technology and advancements rapidly fell to oblivion after the disappearance and death of the Emmagan's. Their time as a people had come and gone, and all that was left were ruins, ashes and a lot of drunken men trafficking drugs and guns. How could they possibly be hiding their beloved heir? There were too many loop holes and too many unanswered questions, and John found himself wanting the answers to those questions now more than ever.

Hence, he had walked in that tavern for a second time, but now with a full and clear purpose of finding out more, but first things first. He would drink to his heart's content, and if he was really lucky, a good night's rest with a beautiful woman right by his side.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the delay. Life has been a whirlwind of a roller coaster and this fic decided to change and morph on me into something much longer and detailed. Thank you to all your reviews and I hope to not disappoint you. I don't want to make any promises, but this is all written. Hopefully, I will edit and post it all soon.

I'd love to read your thoughts.

Part 4

Personally, John thought the whole thing was a waste of his time, but Elizabeth was paying for this little trip and with a little bit of luck, he might just get something worthwhile and he wasn't just referring to finding out any information. Why not? A little R & R along with some business of his own would be good for the soul.

Still, John's head was wanted and he was certain now that the Genii were financing this operation. They were using Athos as a means to create training camps with high tech weaponry stolen from the Wraith and with the help of the Travelers, Larrin's people, they were on their way to creating one very massive force to be reckoned with. The thought alone sent chills down John's spine.

But that wasn't the worst of it. The Genii was also using experimental labs that to John's worst fears, is to create a new breed of army. One combined with the mutations of some stupid bug like creature and an accident that John personally had a handle on; a bug like creature, an impenetrable and indestructible soldier. What are the odds of that?

Gosh, if he ever wrote this down on a piece of paper he'd lose his mind.

Now, you had to wonder, as John often did, how come his bosses in Atlantis and Stargate Command had missed all these experimental labs on their last raid. You could see by the surrounding landscape that there was not a lot of love for the Athosians, but there was a lot of trouble. The kind that John was trying desperately to get away from, but that somehow always seemed to find and persecute him.

The funny thing was that all of this information was not what he came here for. He came here for Elizabeth, for his break, and his freedom; for a fresh start.

But what he found was much worse.

Thinking about what to do with all of this information, his cell phone having missed 6 calls from Elizabeth, John had to think. And think hard. And the only way he knew how to do that was with a beer in his right arm and a pretty woman on his left hand. He could certainly think with just one but not without the other. And tonight, he would settle with just the beer.

He'd gone into the first bar he'd seen that looked air-conditioned. No windows, so it was dark inside, and he'd felt all safe and cozy inside sipping his beer with a bottle of rum back on the bar. He had been to this bar earlier, but now he noticed the new ladies lounging to the right and the left side, all of whom seemed to have their seductive eyes fixed on him!

Yet, he wasn't going to make his move just yet. He'd wait and enjoy his beer while letting his thoughts drift to everything and nothing that he really had a handle on. Oh man, was Elizabeth going to be pissed at him.

He couldn't remember exactly how much time passed, but he was certain she came to him. Yes, a strikingly beautiful woman had stood next to him and at the time, surely this had to be his lucky night.

Thinking back to the exact moment, he recalled that at first it was difficult to see her face from the smoke of cigars and cigarettes, and he wasn't half drunk yet. But, there was no doubt. She was hot!

An actress, she had called herself. One that was only singing and dancing here until her big break; her dream to one day sing in the ancestral city of Atlantis. That was her plan, she had told him. And to his luck, today was her day off and she felt like singing and dancing just for him. _Yeah. _Those were her words, or were they his? He couldn't quite remember.

She was a player all right. She had him on the first word. She was certainly a singer because her words flowed through him like a bullet cast in his chest; Fast, furious and with a tight sting. A pure rush of adrenaline, the kind you never want to be without. And without hesitations, she had danced for him. Her tantalizing fingers had traced the contour of his chest, through his unruly hair, bringing him more than shocks of pleasure to all his major and lower muscles.

Erotic wasn't even a word to express what this woman had done to him and he could have cared less that it had all been in public. Because in that brief moment, it was just him and her and the sound of her voice whispering in his ear, and the touch of her fingers barely containing him from claiming her right there and then.

_Hell yea,_ she'd made the first move, but it was he that suggested they find a private spot because he was pretty sure that if he hadn't suggested it, he would have ravished her right there, not caring one bit about an audience.

And without hesitation, she had walked with him upstairs, but not before he'd bought the most expensive bottle of champagne. For he was determined to treat her like no other had ever treated her before. He would make certain of it.

And he wasted no time, either. Within minutes, he neared her body, his lips crashing with hers, and for a moment, it was more than just glorious. His hands roamed over her delicious body and he couldn't believe that he had so much self-control. For some inexplicable reason, he wanted her to melt in his arms, and she almost did, because her hands suddenly roamed his entire body, the buttons of his shirt flew to the ground, and her hands demanded what he gladly offered.

With a quick lift, he swept her off her feet. She was quite petite underneath his arms, but her legs and arms were toned and strong. Oh, the things he was going to do to her...

Slowly, he remembered setting her on the mattress and for a second, he had regrets. Not for what he was about to do with her, but where he had set her perfect form. Instantly, he realized this was no bed for her perfectly sculpted body. She deserved better. Her skin belonged in satin sheets and not in that infested filth. But his body betrayed his thoughts. He'd get her on the satin sheets another time. And until now, did he understand that at some point, he had decided this wasn't meant to be their first and only night. No! Unintentionally, and even unaware of it himself, he had promised to do everything in his power to see her again.

Still, at that moment, it was all raw and carnal desire. Gazing at her still fully dressed form, he had wanted to memorize every hill, every curve and every valley that outlined her bronzed skin and he desperately wanted to see her. In the darkness of the bar, he hadn't had chance to truly admire her, but now he had full view of her and she was nothing but mesmerizing and intoxicating. And she must have seen it all clearly in his eyes because slowly, she started undoing her dress as he gaped at the sight of her with those predatory eyes.

And that had been his undoing.

She was dangerous. The kind of girl you don't bring home to meet your mother. The kind that makes you forget all reason, and all thought. The kind that makes you possessive, invincible and formidable.

She's definitely a keeper. And the things he was going to do to her were certainly damned in most places.

Hazily, he went to her like a dying man trying to quench his thirst. She had completely undone her dress and she lay in bed with just a black lace bra slightly covering her breasts with a matching string lace perfectly hiding her golden brown mound of curls. Gently, he set his hands on her, lifting her upper body towards his, pleased that his actions had surprised her as her laughter filled the dullness of the room.

_Damn_, he could get used to the sound and feel of her and never tire and that thought alone brought pins to his spine.

Tenderly, he had kissed her. This was a woman that could take it all, but for him, he wanted to be gentle, pleasing to her. Carefully, he braced her with his body, placing her in the softness of the sheets. He leaned over her and their eyes met. His hands roamed to feel the softness of her skin. He wanted to ravish her, but he wanted her to enjoy this. That was the second time that he had surprised himself, since many a nights with a woman it was all business and pleasure. Sure, he was always a gentleman in bed, but there was rough sex and then there was making love. And tonight, with this strange woman, John wanted to make love to her. The thought of pleasing her became demanding, and only hardened him more.

For he'd be damned if she weren't the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Golden brown skin, cat-like eyes that spoke so much thought and depth, silky-bronze tone muscular skin that glazed in the darkness.

Beautiful didn't do her any justice.

A woman like this deserved better. Yet, for a split second he could have sworn he spoke this sentiment out loud because her eyes changed and her face softened.

Regrets?

Hurriedly, she reached up to him, kissing him madly. He cursed in his mouth because he didn't want this to be fast nor easy. Yet, what her tongue was doing to him was something he couldn't control nor resist and at this level of intent, he wasn't even going to wait till they got any further before he'd want to release the pressure building within his manhood. Things were going fast, hot and heavy really quickly.

_Shit, don't screw this up, John._

But before he could think any more, she had turned his body around and laid him flat on the bed. Her eyes spoke devilishly and her body roared with power and force.

_Damn, she liked it rough_, he had thought.

But that wasn't all she liked. Before John could even respond and in between his holding back his all, she kneed him in the groins. His body hurled off into a fetal position and that's when she punched him in the gut, causing him to roll off the bed.

And she had other moves, too.

With her feet, she clocked him again and that's pretty much when all hell went into darkness.

Yeah, that was some dream, John thought. Until he woke with a gun in his mouth and a torn poster with his head reading _Wanted Dead or Alive_ just above his face.

Immediately, John understood that he was up creek number two without a paddle. Now that the sun was up, she was comparing his face with the one on the wanted poster.

She smiled at him with those luscious lips that he could still taste in his mouth.

"This picture does you no justice, John Sheppard." Then she reached up and smacked the poster on the wall. A warm breast brushed his cheek as she settled back down, kind of squishing herself onto his lap.

"Mmm-pf?" John said and she looked at him for a long minute and then pulled the gun out of his mouth. The oily after taste was pretty bad, but at least he could work his jaw. He thought she was being good to him, but then he saw her reach for the cell phone on the night table.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." John said.

"Thankfully, I am not you. And what you would do matters not to me." She replied, looking again at the poster with the big fat number on the bottom.

John tried hard as he could but he was darned if he could come up with a zippy and compelling retort. Why shouldn't she call? Seriously, if the tides were turned, John would call. Or would he?

_Shit, good going John_, he thought to himself. _After months of not getting laid you finally find a woman that would have rocked you till kingdom come and you manage to simply get her to turn you in for some measly ransom._

There were so many ways that he could have screwed this up, but this one was not at the top of his list.

~ TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you for the reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. :) I'd love to read your thoughts. All errors are mine.

Part 5

_I can handle this_, John thought.

"You're really very pretty," he said, letting her have both the pearly whites and the sleepy green eyes.

John never thought himself as handsome, or good-looking, but his mother always complimented on his perfectly sculpted features. His brother Dave always raved how all his girlfriends wanted to sleep with him, and his father always said that if the worst John could do was become a movie star, then he might as well use his good looks for something. Yet, he never saw himself as a good-looking guy. But sometimes, when looks served his purpose, why not use it? Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn't.

This time, _thank you God_, it worked!

For she hesitated, until finally, she put the phone down and looked at him with that cute little smile on her face. She could obviously tell Mr. Happy was just playing with her, but he was certain she really did like him. He may not remember much of her name, but he remembered where her hands roamed through his aroused skin, what her tongue had demanded and how her body responded to his.

And praise be for that because regardless of the circumstances he was in, and all her faults, he really wanted her to like him.

_I'm despicable_, he thought to himself.

And for some reason, her eyes told him that she wanted to like him, too. For her body started to get busy and he wanted nothing more than to continue what they had started. Why not let her take her well-earned reward! If only he could make her let go of his arms, he'll make it all worth it for her, too.

_Damn, when the hell did I become so desperate and sick?_

His mind was playing with his body and neither one wanted to let the other reign.

But he was certain he could pull this off. Otherwise, Elizabeth would find him, like she always did, and he'd be back to his old game in no time. Admittedly, his plan had a few holes, but he could wing it along the way.

Yet, he meant what he said. She was pretty. No, she was drop-dead gorgeous. He looked at her face, and suddenly, he was hard as stone. She had what John called the perfect mix of an exotic girl next-door look. A brown-skinned beauty with long reddish hair, full lips, and amazing breasts that were now swinging dangerously close to his lips.

"I suppose you have some questions?" She leaned forward and the waft of her breath brought tingles to his entire body, one particular member to be exact.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

She leaned even closer and her breath kissed his lips. "You have no business coming to Athos."

_Right, but you have every right to tie me up to a bedpost,_ he could have said, but opted for something less offending. "As far as I know, this is a public place."

"What are you doing in Athos, John Sheppard? You are much too far away from Atlantis. You have no identifications. Only a gun, a pocketknife and a cheap hotel key. You do not even speak Athosian."

_Not even the Athosians speak Athosian! _That's what he wanted to say to her. But again, he opted for something subtler. "I'm a tourist who likes pretty girls and a good beer. Athos fit the profile."

"So, you came all this way for a beer and a girl. Yet, you cannot voice your needs in our tongue. How were you planning on communicating?" It wasn't a question, but she made it sound like one, for her tone was light, but her eyes were demanding.

"Budweiser is internationally known and most pretty girls speak the same language in bed."

The minute he said the words he regretted it, for he could see the rise of blood in her face. "I know every one of my people and none fit your profile."

He was getting nowhere with her. "Look, can we talk about this while you untie me?" He gave her his pleading puppy-eye look in hopes to ease her anger.

And it sort of worked. "You came here looking for someone."

"Maybe."

"I can help you." She sounded innocent and honest enough, but something told John that the change in her demeanor should really creep him out!

"I'm not so sure I want your kind of help. The odds tipped slightly against you the minute you put a gun in my mouth. Not really my style." And he deliberately flashed her those pearly whites again.

"My people are but simple farmers, we are not warriors like you. We only seek peace and what is rightfully ours."

"If your people's interpretation of peace is anything like yours, they're in for a big surprise from the rest of the world. And I don't recall telling you my name, and while we're at it, I don't think I heard you tell me yours."

She straightened slightly, but her derriere was perfectly positioned right on top of his very pronounced..."I am aware of many things, and I know who you are and what you do for a living." Her words were short, but her form was perfection.

This was certainly not your ordinary woman.

"Believe me, I'm not here to hurt your people, uh...What's your name again?"

"I am also acquainted with your intentions, John Sheppard of Atlantis. And believe me when I say, we can assist one another." And with this, she flashed him a smile and he be damned if he didn't get an electrical current shot throughout his entire body.

He is truly a helpless son of a bitch!

But she was talking all sorts of nonsense and he really was having a hard time concentrating on anything but her luscious body. "Really? And I need help with what? And I'm not so sure I want to know what you need help with."

His mind was clearer now, but his body still betrayed him.

"You are still quite blinded by the truth, and it is still not your time. You fight a battle you cannot win. My enemy is unlike any foe your people has ever encountered."

_Her enemies? What the hell is she talking about?_ "I'm not so sure about that, and who's your enemy?"

"The enemy of my people. Of all people. The Wraith."

Suddenly, his extremities felt a little weak and his vision blurred. "Yeah, I know those guys. We finally found something in common. Now, let me go so we can talk about this over some tea."

"Why were you questioning my people? What is your true purpose here? Do you not realize the trouble you could have been in if I had not come to your rescue?"

He looked at her questioningly. "Rescue me?"

She lifted one of her sexy eyebrows and her tantalizing mouth turned lopsided.

And it all went south on him again. For sure, this woman would be the death of him.

~TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you to those that are still reading this and for all the kind reviews. It's slow going but it will get there. I promise. Enjoy and please remember to leave a constructive comment. :) Thank you!

Part 6

"I just saved your life from the Genii and all those scoundrels out to cut your throat." She smiled, devilishly adding. "You do not truly see the trouble that you are in. You really do not understand what is out there, do you?"

She had no idea, and he's not about to indulge her with any details either. "It's called investigating and trouble is my middle name."

"That much we can agree upon."

Against his will she swung her legs out of bed and off of him, and a cold empty rush of air struck him. She reached over and grabbed her dress and John almost shouted for her not too. He could think so much better with her wearing just that little strip-tease outfit. She moved swiftly, and pulled down a flowered dress over her head, smoothing it over her spectacular body. She reached for her purse and took something out. Standing over the mirror, she wiggled her butt, and soon a pair of panties came down her slender legs.

John almost choked.

She stepped into a blue pair of panties, and John wanted to tell her that the other ones looked much better, but he thought it better to hold it back and continue watching her. And he was not disappointed.

Wiggling her butt once again, she hiked the new panties up under her dress, turning slightly, flashing a smile at John. _Damn her!_

John couldn't help but noticed that she was one of those women who looked almost as good dressed as they did naked or in her case, almost naked. She stepped into the light, staring into the full sized mirror and John raised his head uncomfortably, trying to get a glimpse at her through the reflection.

It worked. And the smile he sent her was returned with one of her own.

_Beautiful._

He could feel his own drool coming down his mouth and a tightness in his boxers.

_Focus John. Focus. _He kept telling himself.

"Can we go back and bit and start with why am I handcuffed to the bed? Did I volunteer for this game?"

"You do not remember?" she teased as she began to button up her dress.

"Not really, but I do remember you kicking my ass to the floor." He grinned.

She stopped buttoning her dress, moving towards him, clearly giving John another clear view of her cleavage. Leaning towards him with a little pout on her face, teasingly she asked. "Did I cause you much pain?"

"Nothing I can't handle." He proudly replied, and for the briefest of seconds, their eyes met. "Look, I just want to go back to my normal life and do my job. So, would you mind being a good girl and take these off me?" He tried to raise his hands but it only caused more pain.

Turning ever so slowly towards him, she smiled and gently touched the stubbles already forming in his face. " You need a shave."

"I usually shave while I'm in the shower. "Want to join me?"

"Is that so? Interesting. Perhaps I can watch."

"Sure, but first you have to untie me."

And the thoughts forming in his head were already too much for him to stop. And if he were any good at reading women, he'd swear she actually thought about it, even if it was only for a second.

"Perhaps another time. Right now, I have plans for you."

"Well, I did for us too, but it seems yours are way different from mine. But I figured if you really wanted to hurt me, you would have done it by now, and if you really wanted to call the authorities, you would have done that, too." He paused a little too late to think about his words. "There's something more you're not telling me."

That wasn't a question. John's been through hell and back. He's been tortured, beaten and left to die in the coldest of places. And this didn't feel like one of those times.

She started to say something but didn't. Instead, she smiled at him, and the hairs from the back of his neck stood on end.

What the hell was this woman doing to him?

"Yes," and for a split second, John saw a glimpse of regret in her eyes. "Your answers will be supplied soon enough. For now, we wait."

"Wait?"

"You must relax. There is no cause to be alarmed. Kanaan will be here shortly."

"Who? You got someone coming over? You called?" He really hoped she couldn't hear the rising panic in his voice for he was getting pretty darn pissed off by now.

"I did not call who you think I called."

"The number on the poster. The reward."

"No."

Silence filled the room.

"Well! Who did you call?"

"My ex-husband. He's on his way."

And now the panic was no longer contained.

"Your ex-husband is coming here? Now?"

"You could make this a lot simpler if you would answer my questions. What are you doing here? You mentioned a name."

"I could say the same for you. It's not really fair that I'm stuck here while you get to...Wait, whose name did I mention?"

"You came here looking for the Athosian Heir. Did you not?"

"Why is this so important to you?"

"It is important to every Athosian."

"Not from what I could see. Actually, I didn't really see anyone that cares about much of anything around here."

"Are you working with Atlantis but secretly spying with the High Council or the IOA?

"I spy for no one. I simply keep my eyes open for new opportunities."

There was a noise coming up from the steps beyond the door, startling them both.

John decided, what the hell, he might as well call for help.

But this woman was skilled and within seconds, she was over him, and her eyes spoke something hidden that caught John by surprise. Yet, he was unable to speak or react. And then hell returned when he felt a sting in his leg and before he could even curse, darkness struck him once again.

~TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you to all for the reviews. I am sorry if I haven't been able to reply to each one of you. Too much going on. But know that I truly do appreciate it and hope that you continue to enjoy this story.

Part 7

When John woke up for the second time that morning, he realized he didn't have a gun in his mouth. _Thank you God,_ he thought. Until he tried to scratch an itch on his face, and..._Shit. _He was still handcuffed to the damn bed. However, his body didn't ache. So she didn't beat the crap out of him this time. She must have injected him with something. Yeah, that stung like a bitch.

He spotted her form across the room.

"You know, I'm getting really tired of this. You think you can let me lose now?"

He could hear her sigh from a distance.

"If I let you go you'll only try to escape which will result in me being forced to hurt you once again." Carefully, she moved towards him and damned if she didn't look even more prettier this time around. "I would not want to be the cause of severing such handsome features."

_Well, now we are getting somewhere. She definitely likes me_.

"Look, whatever they are paying you, I can double it."

She smiled then, and looked at the poster above his head.

"Rest assure, I have no interest in the money. The reasons for your capture extend far beyond your current imaginations."

"What the hell does that mean?" He could only think of two things; set me free, and let's continue what we had started.

Her smile grew wider and her skin glowed.

"What?" He asked, but his thoughts were wondering if the rumors about Athosians were true. Some had the ability to read other people's minds. _Creeepyyy_, John thought.

The door tapped, and she took out her gun followed by a hard knock on the door and John squirmed in between the sheets. Remembering that she had undone his shirt, and his pants. He realized that he was in bed, handcuffed, helpless and with only a pair of boxers on.

"SHIT. Get me off these, will you?"

Nothing.

"Hey," He stated more forcefully, "Get these things off me!"

"I am afraid I cannot."

"WHAT?"

"No key." She shrugged her shoulders.

"No key? Well, where the hell are they?"

"We were playing a game. Who's the prisoner. You lost them when you swallowed the key, remember?"

_When the hell did they play that game_, John thought and then he swallowed hard.

Crap. She must have drugged him for answers.

"You're not a nice girl, you know that?" He said and she laughed. "Can you at least throw me the damn sheets over me or something?"

"Of course."

She was bent over, picking up the sheet up off the floor, when the wooden door swung open and a man stepped inside looking at the scene on the bed with a bemused smile.

"Sheppard!" The man at the door called out in a raspy voice.

"Ronon!" She cried out.

He was big, and tall and _big_, John noticed. Dreadlocks way beyond normal range and taller than most scary people.

"Ronon?" John thought he heard himself say.

"You know one another?" She asked surprised looking from John and then back to the other man.

It was Ronon, alright. The runner that Rodney warned him about. The one Rodney had never met, but John had, once. It was just briefly, but he had a clear view of him right before his fist landed on John's face knocking him out for hours. When John woke up, he was tied to a tree in the middle of nowhere. Thank God for Ford who had found him. He was chasing after the runner himself. John didn't quite know why Ronon had punched him that time, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the money he betted, lost and owed Landom Radim. Ronon was just doing his job which was doing the dirty work for others. Still, he had left John with more than just a big shiner. John could have really used a guy like him on his side of the team, not against him.

And right now, he wished more than anything that he had tried to mend things with the big guy for the look on his face didn't give John much confidence that he was here to chat.

And then of course, what if...what if he's her ex. And then a big rise of something unfamiliar to John struck him like wildfire. Jealousy? No. This was something else. He just couldn't quite put his finger on it.

And with a challenging glare on his face, John replied to her question. "Of course we know each other. I'm sure there's still a trace or two of his knuckles engraved on my face!"

Ronon stepped closer to the bed with a wide grin on his face and for some inexplicable reason John wasn't afraid. "You remember." And then his gaze steered towards her, leaning extremely close with an even wider smile plastered on his face. "Good times."

John moved furiously, forgetting that he was still tied up to the bedpost, the movement stinging his wrist even more, but there was no way he was going to let this guy put his grubby hands on her.

And that's when John became aware of just how tensed he was and how easily roused he got at the mere presence or thought of another man even thinking of putting his hand on this woman who clearly didn't have anything that he had in mind.

Yet, she paid no attention to Ronon's nearness and with clear annoyance written all over her face, she threatened more than she asked. "Ronon, was it necessary for you to storm through the door?"

John relaxed once he saw that she paid no clear interest in the man.

Stepping back, Ronon smiled. "You've never asked for privacy before."

_If he only knew that..._

"We are not here to attract attention."

And then he stepped up to the bed. "Not from what I can see. You two kids having fun?"

"Not really." John replied quickly, but she just ignored them both.

"Are we ready to move out?" She asked, grabbing a bag from behind the bed.

"Got the car right outside."

"Look, I'm grateful for all this fun, but I'm going to skip this little trip and just head on back home." John knew it was pointless, but maybe he could persuade the big guy to let him loose. He could take him.

"Good, let us go." She clearly wasn't even the least bit worried about anything going wrong with her plans.

And neither did Ronon. "So, who's got the key?" He asked while looking at John with a big smile on his face.

~TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you to those of you still reading. I do hope you continue to enjoy this fic. All errors are mine.

Love to read your thoughts. :)

Next chapter will have a different setting and no handcuffs for John. :)

Part 8

"Is everything ready?" She asked without explanations.

"Not gonna give me details? You're scaring me." The grin on Ronon's face was almost abnormal.

She moved towards John and their eyes met.

"Jealous boyfriend?" John asked with much more concern in his own voice than he cared to explain.

"Release him," was all she said, but her smile gave her away.

And instantly, something within John assured him that he wasn't her boyfriend. Thank God.

"More like a younger brother." Ronon's smile was really starting to annoy John.

He moved closer to the bed, "Much younger, too."

"Ronon!" She threatened.

Ronon moved closer to John and almost whispered with that sickening smile of his. "I guess you two got to know each other pretty well. That's too bad because now I'm sure that I'm going to kill you."

"Do I look like I'm having fun?" John replied.

"Are you two finished or would you like some privacy?" And John couldn't possibly think that her irritated look could make her look any sexier.

"I told you he'd be a good team player." Ronon all but laughed. "He's got the means, you've got the money and power, and I got the brawns!"

John really wanted to show him who had the power.

"He is here." She looked out the window with concern in her eyes. Immediately, John wanted to soothe her worried face, but he couldn't do squat tied up like this. He had to do something fast.

"Specialist Ronon Dex. You're from Sateda. I've been looking for you."

"He's smart, too." Ronon looked back at her.

John was about to say more, when she added. "It is of no consequence. Stick to the plan!" Her voice sounding more restless by the minute.

"Look, I don't know what kind of sick joke this is, but I want to be let go right now!"

The woman looked out the window, and then went to the door.

"We must not be seen." She said.

"Kanaan's got it covered." Ronon said without looking at her for he was now too busy looking near the bed, his head very close to John.

Kanaan? That's the idiot that took him to Halling. John's forehead crumpled with a questioning glare at Ronon.

"That lying son of a bitch is here? When I get my hands on him..."

"Ex-husband. Not to worry. He's harmless." With a big smile on his face, Ronon tried to yank John's handcuffs off him.

"Ouch! Will you stop that! You're gonna break my arms." John hated to sound like a whiner but right now, he had very little shame left in him.

"Cries like a girl, though." Ronon's eyes turned back towards the woman who was now fussing through her things and John was sure he said it with another stupid grin on his face.

John thoughts immediately turned towards his current situation. This woman was clearly not going to hurt him. Well, at least not at the moment. She wanted him for something, but up till now, he couldn't quite figure her out.

Ronon's involvement in this was just as puzzling. He was a bounty hunter. What the hell was he doing with her? And Kanaan? What the hell was that moron up to?

"Look, I need to know what this is all about, especially if you want my help." John demanded.

"Your questions will be answered shortly, John. At the moment my priority is for us to get acquainted and for you to trust me." She moved closer to the bed and suddenly, he felt an indescribable feeling.

"Sure, I can trust you. But it works both ways."

She looked at him then, and her head tilted slightly, as if she could read right through him. "You have a gift, as do I. That makes you valuable to my people and to our cause."

"I have many gifts, but you didn't let me show you any of them. And what cause? Look, you're talking in riddles here and I wasn't very good at this in school. So, let's just get to the point. What exactly do you want from me?"

She looked at Ronon, who looked at her in return, shrugging his shoulders.

"Alright. Do you recall when you met Halling?" And her face softened and for a split second, he remembered their kisses and suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to kiss those luscious lips once again.

Until his brain brought him back to her question.

"That nice tall man that says a lot but really says nothing? Yeah, I met him. That son of a bitch Kanaan took me to the wrong guy." He could still hear the man's words without much meaning at all, and now that he thought about it, she was doing the same thing.

"Halling is respected highly among our people. His words carry strength, wisdom and experience. You should have paid closer attention."

"Yeah, and...Ouch! Will you stop that!" Ronon made him loose his next words because he kept on yanking the handcuffs.

"Athosians are a very proud and private people. We seek only what was taken from us and we only wish to educate our children in a peaceful world." She was almost sitting next to him on the bed when she reached out from underneath her top giving John another clear view of the bra securing safely her perfect mounds, and he almost missed when she pulled out a single key that had been expertly tucked away in the warmth of her bosom.

"Right! My mother used to that too with her money. She also always told me to share my toys with my older brother, but that doesn't mean I always did."

"Scratch that. He's dumb, after all." Ronon added.

John had almost forgotten about the man at this point.

"John..." Her voice was almost a whisper, a plea, and it captivated him into a trance that he couldn't quite shake off.

"You need my help. I get that. But you need to tell me more if you want me to cooperate." He realized a little too late that he had said this without thinking it out first. Without the least bit of effort, he was making her a promise.

He'd help her.

There was no question in his mind that he was going to, for something had connected them. What that was, he wasn't sure.

Oh, he'd hear about his stupidity and reckless decisions from Elizabeth, and Rodney and Lorne would go on and on about how he couldn't just let go another opportunity in which Jr. did all the thinking. And although part of that is true, now gazing at this beautiful woman, he had to know more. At the very least, he'd get her name of out of it and if he was really lucky, maybe something more.

Yes, he is a pitiful son of a bitch.

So, he'll go with her willingly, but he wasn't about to sell his soul to her. At least not yet.

"Come with me, John and I promise you will understand." Her words were honest, sincere, and completely entrancing.

He wasn't ready to go to the end of the world with her, but he will go with her.

"Let's start by taking these off." And he showed her his pearly whites while angling his head higher, just inches away from her face.

At which point, Ronon rubbed his hands together, and then pulling back his leather coat, he revealed a weapon. "Okay, now we're getting somewhere." He pulled out his gun and aimed it straight at the handcuffs directly above John's head. "Sheppard, don't move."

~TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Very close to the end, but not before some excitement comes our way very soon! And thank you to those that leave me reviews that help me to better my writing. Not all your questions will be answered, and some are hidden within the context, but most are for you to picture in your mind, but some will be supplied. :)

Thank you to those of you still enjoying this story. I do appreciate all your comments.

All errors are truly mine.

Part 10

"Will you let me drive?" John almost yelled in Kanaan's ear.

"What? I can't hear you?" cried Kanaan who was driving like a maniac bouncing up and down in the front like a lunatic.

John wasn't surprised that Kanaan couldn't hear him. Between the splattering storm roaring outside, the unruffled Toyota engine howling and the horrible driving in the rain, no one could have any sort of conversation.

John cupped his hands round his mouth. "I said, try to stay on the goddamn ground!"

"Oh, sorry. I just recently learned how to drive shift. Completely new experience for me."

_Idiot_, John thought.

He looked to his left, and there she was. And she was married to this moron?

John sat back and tried to wipe off the raindrops streaming down his face. The others were certainly prepared since they had their goggles on, but what the hell did John know. Until a couple of months ago, he was driving his brand new Porsche.

They hit another pothole and John flung forward hitting his head on the backside of the front wheel chair where Kanaan was sitting. Ronon didn't kill him with his stunner back in the room because both he and Teyla yelled at him to stop right before he shot the damned thing right at his head. But this moronic-idiot will kill him if he doesn't slow down soon.

"I. Said. Slow. Down!"

"Too slow and we'll get stuck in the mud." Kanaan shouted over his shoulder.

"What about the FRACKING mines?" John screamed.

John had never been to Athos, but he had heard the many stories of the dead-barren soil, filled with old mines abandoned there by a once brutal and cruel war between the Athosians and the Genii.

"We believe there are none in this area." She finally spoke over her shoulder. She was sitting next to Kanaan, but he was sure that wasn't the reason for his lousy mood. There were plenty of other reasons besides him being jealous at knowing she was actually married once, and to this lunatic, for crying out loud!

"Really? You believe? That's very reassuring. Thanks!" John shouted trying to sit back in his seat while Ronon slept through the entire thing. "Why don't you try actually driving on the road, Kanaan."? John shouted.

Not only was John in a foul mood, but also he was starting to sound like the whiney Rodney McKay, and that really annoy him to no end.

"Sure." Kanaan cranked the wheel hard left and they bounced back into the rut.

What the hell was he doing here? Ronon, Kanaan and his beautiful ex-wife who still didn't have a name certainly belonged here, but not him. I guess he should be happy that they were still alive or better yet, that he was still alive.

Damn he's so out of his game, here.

Unlike her, who was sitting shotgun and clinging to a grab handle on the dash, her expression of determination set in its ways.

She was the mastermind behind all of this. She was the leader and he still didn't know her name. And talking wasn't going to do any good with the raindrops falling on them like buckets full of water being poured down his head. Sure, this was a nice jeep with a nice friendly group of whackos that were driving around with a topless roof, but that didn't mean this was a nice excursion ride.

John tried hard not to lose it at the moment. He's used this kind of adrenaline rush all the time in his favor, but right now, he wasn't the one behind the wheel. It was this asshole, who had this gorgeous woman sitting right beside him, in a low cut flowery dress that enhanced her perfect figure, a figure that he got quite an eyeful and then some.

Kanaan must be not just a stupid moron but also a crazy stupid moron, John thought to himself. How could any man ever leave a woman like this?

"We're here." She said, as her face got closer to the windshield confirming her statement.

"How can any of this look familiar to you?" John wondered. It was dark, it was cold, it was barren land and they were in the middle of nowhere.

Ronon shifted from his side. "I can smell the tava beans already."

"We should wait until morning to get him inside." Kanaan said.

"No," she replied. "Charin is expecting us." She opened her door, while the car was still moving.

John's heart stopped beating before he breathed in again.

"Hey, are you trying to get yourself killed?" John cried, and she smiled at his obvious concern for her, but the vehicle had already stopped.

"Come, Charin is expecting us." She turned to Kanaan, "Go and rest. I will see you in the morning." Her eyes met Ronon, but nothing was said between them with spoken words.

John watched the young woman and was amazed once again at her graceful form. Beauty and confidence, a true skilled full woman.

Captivated by her, John said nothing but looked towards Ronon who padded his shoulder as if to ease his worries.

Not working.

It was so dark that John couldn't really see where they were, and it was still raining hard which didn't make things any easier. The heavy mist made it tough to see more than a foot ahead, and the falling water he could hear from not too far gave the feeling that this wasn't your local run down village.

"Let us go inside," John heard her say. Then she disappeared into the swirling mist, pushing through the curtains of clear water.

Following in her footsteps, more by instinct than by sight, he had entered the sudden wet stillness inside a cave mouth. For a minute, flashbacks of things that had occurred long ago resurfaced brightly in his mind and John found himself on all alerts at an impending doom that was way too long in the waiting.

A piece of sheared-off bamboo was set on the ground and he'd planned to use as a weapon. From behind him, Ronon waded in, stamping his sloshing boots and wiping the water from his eyes. The man was calmed as a feather, and that eased John a bit.

Ronon tapped him on his shoulders, and John swore he jumped a bit startled because the gruff looking man was smiling again while shaking his head.

Following for what seemed like forever, John finally caught up with the woman and simply couldn't see where this was going.

"You know, I don't even know your name?" He was never good at small talk, but this is as better a time as ever.

"Yes, you do." She replied, not once turning back to look at him, but he was sure she too had a smile on her face.

This kind of torture was one John wasn't quite used to and he was sure he'd rather be strapped to a bedpost, at this point.

Still, this mysterious cloud hanging over his head wasn't very pleasant at all.

"Will you remind me?" He asked. Then he noticed her hands on the cave walls, as she pulled a metal contraption much like a lighter, but much more sophisticated and nothing like John had ever seen. She used it expertly to turn on one of the stalks hanging on the ledge of the rock wall. Instantly, fire sprung from the contraption lighting the stalk.

She must have seen the surprised look on his face for she immediately spoke to him. "My people have not always lived in such conditions. We were once a powerful and technologically advanced race."

"So, I see."

She stopped, and lighted something above the rock walls. Writings of some sort were displayed clearly. Upon closer inspection, John realized that this was something of great significance to her and to her people.

"We have been fighting this war long before my people ever existed. Good against evil has always been a defining cause in the history of our existence. Yet, there has always been a factor that has broken the ties within a period of time."

John listened carefully, completely forgetting that Ronon had left them behind.

He moved closer to the writings on the wall, and was much closer to her as well.

"Who did this?"

"It was written by my ancestors as a means to record what has occurred, but I also believe it is a sign of what is yet to come, or what is to be repeated."

John stood right up front to the wall now, his fingers gently touching the alien forms.

"Do you know what it means?" He asked, curious himself as to what it all meant.

"Wars come and go and people die so that others may live. My parents carried a heavy burden on them, and now it is up to me to restore what was in their power to balance our worlds once again."

"Your parents?" With her, it was hard to distinguish whether she was referring to her actual parents or of her people in general.

He walked further noticing more writing on the wall. Way too much for him to even begin to figure it all out, and besides that wasn't his area of expertise. Elizabeth would kill to see this, but even more so her friend back at the SGC, Daniel Jackson.

"Why did you bring me here? I'm not an expert in this area." He wanted to know what role she saw in him for all of this.

"You are the key to our future. A future where our children can benefit in a world of harmony and peace."

Children? He had never really thought of a family, at least not for a while. Yet seeing this strong beautiful woman in front him made him think of what beautiful children she would have, and what fears and dangers set marked on her forehead. Dangers that she couldn't always foresee, couldn't always win. And it bothered him to see her this way. She deserve better. Deserve a family. Deserve peace and happiness.

Still, that she thought he was the key to it only shocked him further.

He turned to her then, his puzzling look clear on his face.

And she smiled.

"Come, Charin is expecting us." She turned then, but John continued to see the writings on the wall. There was a battle clearly depicted there, one in which different worlds were represented. He could tell by the clear and distinct designs on each aircraft and weapon displayed. Something great was about to happen, and a burst of tingling sensations cursed through his body.

John knew this feeling. It happened to him every time he flew a fighter-jet, every time he was sent on a mission and every time he had to solve a case.

Yet, this time, this felt so much more. This was huge and significant and way out of his league. Because it had been a very long time since John care much about anything, and this...this he would care about.

And suddenly being strapped to a bedpost with a gun in his mouth was nothing compared to what he was feeling now.

For in a sick and twisted sort of way, and in his complete excitement of what's yet to come ahead, John had to admit one thing; He was scared shitless, but he was going forward with whatever this is, head on.

~TBC

Love to read your thoughts.


	11. Chapter 11

We are so close, but quite a bit more mystery to come. I hope I continue to intrigue you and thank you to all for your kind words and encouragement. Remember, I don't give you all the answers. I only supply you with enough to peak your curiosity. :)

All errors are mine.

Part 11

Stepping outside the cave, he came across a very small circle of tents gathered around with a large fire pit in the center to what seemed like a small village. Ahead, John saw what looked to be an old road that plummeted and seemed to disappear behind the hidden river. The heavy rain stopped and without the sounds of the cascading waters behind him, he could hear new sounds of people nearby.

Just a few yards ahead, stood a large mysterious tower, and John wondered what it was and what its significance, if any at all.

"It is forbidden to venture those lands." She spoke from behind him, and he wondered yet again, if she could actually read his mind.

"Why?" He turned to see her face. "Some sort of superstitious belief?"

"We believe that there is great power there, and only those with the gift of the Ancients are allowed to enter its sacred ground."

"How can you be sure?" He asked stepping closer to the river that separated the village from the other side of the land where the distinct tower stood.

"Throughout generations, a few number of our chosen ones have ventured to the other side only never to return." John could hear the sorrow in her words.

"Maybe it's protected by a force field. I bet McKay could figure it out." Already in John's mind he could picture the scientist coming up with multiple solutions to the problem.

"We have entered its borders and there is nothing hindering our passage. The problem lies inside the tower. For a time, we believed it was cursed. I proved that theory to be incorrect."

The common concern for her safety returned with the thought of her risking her life.

"You went inside?"

She smiled, "No." She walked a few steps forward, her feet right at the edge of the river. "But I did walk far enough to touch its walls."

"So, what happened?"

"Kanaan and I both possess the gift and we were able to cross over the river and touch the land without any mishaps. However, Josiah and Agnes were not so fortunate."

Her head stood low, and when it rose again, John could see her vividly re-living the moment.

"We took every precaution, and still, Kanaan and I barely made it alive. Agnes's father is Baracian and so she was able to decipher the writings on the wall."

"Similar to those in the caves?"

"Yes," He could tell in her voice that he had surprised her and that pleased him greatly.

"However, these markings were revealing another story unlike the ones found in the caves. We also believed these to be written not by any of our Ancestors. The markings tend to be from those of the great city. The city of the Ancestors of Atlantis."

"Your people have been to Atlantis? That can't be!"

"Tarius was a great Athosian leader. It is said that he has been the only Athosian to have ever set foot in the city of the Ancient's long before the wars, even before the existence of the Wraith. Upon his return, he told many great tales of his time there. When I was only a child, my father's father used to tell me of Tarius' great adventures and of his promise that one day, a man from beyond our stars would come to our mists and break the ties of this war." She took a deep breath, her gaze much further than it seemed. "We all believe it to be a great child's tale told from generations to generations, but my father's father share something more with my father. I can still remember him clearly in my mind. You must understand, I was only a child when my father gave me this," She took out a pendant from around her neck and carefully touched its shiny smooth surface, "It was gift given to Tarius from Ackra, the last leader of the Ancient city of Atlantis. Its symbol is the same as the one on the front walls of the tower." Her eyes went to the high tower on the other side of the river.

John's curiosity took its toll and unconsciously, he stepped closer to her, his fingers lightly touching her fingers and then the smooth surface of her pendant.

"You think it has something to do with that tower?"

"Yes. I believe it is the key to unlocking the chambers within the tower and ever since I can remember, I have wished to go and try, but father would not allow it. So many have lost their lives, so that I may live. Yet, I believe it is my calling."

Such a strong woman. Such a fierce, pure, unselfish warrior within her and he couldn't control the rage within him, his own calling towards her. Breaking the last distance between them their eyes met and her lips called to him as he leaned closer, his lips tormented by the absence of hers with his, hovering just over hers...

"Uhum," A deep husky familiar voice interrupted John's lips from descending upon hers.

Against his will, John's fingers lightly brushed down her neck, down her top and then to his sides and he wanted nothing more than to punch the living daylights out of whoever interrupted their moment.

Then, he noticed it was Ronon standing next to the campfire. He didn't know how much of their conversation he heard, but he was pretty sure he wasn't interrupting simply because he was hungry. That's when John realized he was hungry and he didn't know when was the last time he had eaten.

To the left of Ronon, he could see an elderly woman stirring something to what could only be an exaggeratingly big cooking pot, and from how it smelled, it was something good.

"Ah, you have finally arrived, John Sheppard." Her words were soft and soothing and pleasing to the ears.

"Well, had I known you were expecting me, I would have come straight here. Course, I was tied up awhile back, so that could have been the cause of my tardiness." His head turned to his previous kidnapper, silently telling her that he had no clue what the hell was going on but he was going to play their game.

And from what he could see from her upturned smile, this too amused her.

"You come seeking much and yet, you know not what you have found?" He heard the elderly woman from behind him.

Great, she speaks in riddles, too.

"Yeah, my mom use to tell me something like that, too."

"Come, sit beside me." She turned her body around and this time, John could see the perfectly wrinkled lines around her face. Each one a trace of what she's lived, what she's seen and the wisdom that each one has brought to her.

Near the campfire there were some wooden carved chairs to which Ronon had already helped himself to, leaving John to choose the one furthest to the other side of the fire.

He heard the other woman move closer to the elderly woman to which both leaned their heads together, and their foreheads touched.

"John Sheppard, this is Charin." She said, her eyes a clear sign of respect and admiration towards the elderly woman.

"You are among good people, John Sheppard." Charin added, turning her attention back to the cooking pot.

"Well, you have a real funny way of showing it." John sneered.

"Our methods may not be the most apt, but it has kept us alive." Charin whispered in a smile at him and then looked towards the younger woman who was busy helping set the table, closest to the river.

"Charin, anyone else joining us this evening?" Her voice was low, relaxed and homely, but her demeanor was one of loyalty for the elderly woman. Though her eyes never strayed from her task, John could tell she was aware of everything around her.

"I could have brought a couple of people had I been properly invited." And his eyes didn't meet the younger women, but he was sure she found his words amusing.

Charin smiled and her face turned slightly towards John. "We have been forced into exile among our own, but it will all end very soon and it starts with you, John Sheppard."

"Look, I don't think you have the right guy, but I'm listening." John smiled.

"Do you know why you are here, John Sheppard?" Her tone changed now to more serious manners and although John liked the bantering, he was tired of being asked the same question without him getting any real answers.

~ TBC...

Author's note: I know...still a mystery, but the pieces of the puzzle are somewhat coming together. :)


	12. Chapter 12

Two more chapters and we are done. I do hope you continue to enjoy this story. Thank you to those of you who are still reading and enjoying this story. I'd love to read your thoughts.

Part 12

"Is that going to be the question of the day?" John stepped forward closer to the boiling pot for some warmth. The rain had stopped but the cold moisture left behind had him shivering a bit.

"You can trust her." The beautiful woman said, moving further away behind him.

"Right, just like I can trust you." And though his spidey senses weren't tingling around these people, it was much too soon to trust any of them, especially the one that had started it all.

"Your abilities far exceed ours. You do not fool me into thinking you would not have escape from us already if you did not trust us." Her wisdom really started to worry him.

True, John has been in far worse situations and there had been just a few opportunities in which he could have escaped, but this was much more interesting and he wanted to see it through. He was a detective, after all.

But he didn't owe them anything, even less the truth. "Oh, that's a little difficult when your hands are tied to a bedpost."

With this John noticed Charin's surprised look towards the young woman and suddenly he felt like he just confessed something that he shouldn't have to his girlfriend's mother on their first date.

"It was necessary." That was all she was going to say, though her eyes never met Charin's surprised, but amused stare.

He decided to continue this charade and since he was hungry, he might as well get a free meal out of it. "I think she should work a little more on her social skills." He said to the elderly woman but loud enough for the other to hear. He turned and afforded her a grin, but she never looked his way. However, he did notice that Charin quite liked the bantering.

"Do you wish to know the reason of your visit?" With this she turned and faced John, clearly trying to change the subject to something more plausible.

Two can play the same game.

"My visit? Is that what this is? You won't even tell me your name!" And John's eyes met her challenging gaze.

"You know who I am. Just as you know you are among good people. Just as you know that the Wraith are cunning and must be defeated." She neared John and his heartbeat jumped just a little. "Our paths have been linked since before our beginning. Ancients have foretold it. Many have risked their lives so that we could meet. Our destiny has been laid before us, John Sheppard. The time has come for you to fight for justice and peace among our people on our side."

His destiny. John never believed in such things, but by the way she spoke, and the nearness of her scent hypnotizing him, she could have him walking on all four limbs chanting their mating song.

And that scared him more than any Wraith armada charging his way.

"Yeah well, destiny is really not my cup of tea, and we already know you turned me down. So, you're either really desperate or you really like bad guys."

He took a fruit from the table for this conversation was getting much too heated for his liking and this was something he'd much prefer to be discussing in her tent or back in his hotel room, with her body straddling his, minus the gun in his mouth and Ronon, for that matter.

Not to mention that this was sounding way too much like a marriage and he sure as hell wasn't married to her!

And from the sound and look of things around him, he wasn't the only one thinking that way. He could hear Ronon's husky laughter from behind, and Charin's held back chuckle.

And it really started to piss him off.

John Sheppard was a loner. Sure there was Elizabeth, and Rodney and the occasional Stargate team here and there when he was sent on missions, but that was only temporary. Nothing was settled and nothing was permanent.

This woman hadn't straight out ask him yet, but she might as well just propose to him right there and then because what she was asking was sure as hell sounding like a permanent commitment. To life and death, in sickness and in health, whatever the hell that was, John suddenly realized he didn't want any part of it.

Nope. He was very happy with his secular, insignificant, dangerous life; very happy, indeed. And if this woman, and If these people had some big scheme of plans for him to follow, they had another thing coming. It was bad enough that he was here for Elizabeth, but now these Athosians wanted to make him their puppet. And that wouldn't be such a problem for him if he knew what the hell they were talking about.

He's going to march his way on out of here. He's heard and seen enough and well, it wasn't meant to be. There was too much at stake, too much to give, too much risk and too much to lose. He'd done that once, and it got him no where but heartbroken and close to his own destruction.

No, not gonna happen. Not over some girl, and her people. Who were they kidding? He's no hero and he's certainly no one's savior!

And in the middle of his own turmoil, John missed something, for suddenly, everything grew dark, and he cursed himself again for letting his guard down.

An imminent moment of time passed, the space of a spark fleeting. This shell of a moment contained a universe of action and thought, all possibilities followed. John Sheppard stood on end seeing it all himself before his eyes.

Ronon's war cry was valiant and fearless. John's impulse was to help the man. But that would have been a mistake, that would have been walking into the fiery wall covering the entire surrounding as all across the village sounds of explosion erupted.

Then, John heard the elderly woman cry out in pain.

How much of this was actual thought, he wasn't sure, but he flung over the table and went straight for Charin who was lying still on the ground. Rolling over her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, trying to find a way to walk through the fire. He got another three or four feet forward when another explosion rent the air from behind him.

Fire pitched upward from all sides, and John knew there was very little time. Helooked back to find Ronon sprawled on the floor and further behind, Kanaan running towards them.

John only had one thought. _Where is she?_

"The Wraith." Her voice all but whisper from behind him.

"You got caught with your pants down..." He added without looking at her, "Just like me." He replied, trying to ease their current situation and this time, sparing her a glance. And though it was brief, her smile made him count his blessings.

Moving swiftly, she saw a blanket from not too far, grabbed it and wrapped it around the unconscious woman.

"Get her to safety." She cried.

He grabbed her arm, as she was moving towards the flames. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"I will not be far behind." Her face was determined and he figured she must be used to this by now. Still, he didn't have to like it.

"The hell you won't." But before he could say more, she was already gone, running right towards the flames.

John is no stranger to these kinds of scenarios. Actually, this was nothing compared to what he'd seen in Afghanistan and all over the world while he was in the Air Force.

He was trained for this sort of thing and he was damned good at it, too.

First, the elderly woman needed to be taken to safety.

Forcibly, he grabbed the woman, stood up from underneath the table and flung himself closer to the river where a wall of flames stood high and wide, unable to allow him to safely reach its waters. He heard a shout from behind him and there stood Kanaan, in the midst of the flaming inferno, others running to and fro trying to calm the flames cursing through their simple homes.

At least Kanaan seemed to be good for something. He led the rest around him to reach for the river's waters and John could see that in one area of the campsite the flames were receding.

Kanaan motioned John to move to the other side where a small opening gave him access to get the elderly woman to safety.

In one swift move, he went right through the flames with Charin still limp in his arms. Kanaan took the woman from his arms only to pass her along to others.

A grunted sound came from nearby and John looked back to see Ronon shaking his head, and quickly scanning the area. In one leap, he stood and from the sounds coming out of his mouth, John could tell he wasn't very happy.

Humming sounds of Wraith ship hovered once again over the village, firing unmercifully at them once again.

A wall of fire sprung in front of John flinging his body off the ground, pulling him back towards the river. His eyes burned and his vision blurred.

In reality, this all felt like a dream, a really bad nightmare. The world spinning so bizarrely that everything he knew was mashed together into the same physical place; The beautiful woman that somehow was responsible for this. Why did trouble always seem to find him in the form of a beautiful woman?

From up above, the skies began to clear and it seemed that for now, the attacked had stopped.

It didn't make any sense.

The villagers continued to shower their tents with water from the river. It seemed like this wasn't the first time this had happened to them, for they were expertly prepared and soon the flames subsided.

John looked around and noticed that Ronon and Kanaan were not alone anymore and Charin was being tended.

_Where is she_, he asked out loud, looking back into the flames still burning from where she last stood.

It all happened so quickly, and she had left so abruptly. Still, something within him stopped him from panicking. This woman was no helpless victim. She could take care of herself, but that didn't stop John from wanting to know where she was and making sure that she was safe, and preferably, beside him.

He could hear voices, shouts from all around him, but his ears were buzzing and that was never a good sign. Water hissed upward and a cloud of vapor rose, including the black smoke from the trees that had caught fire, clouding his vision and making it hard for him to breathe.

Just a few minutes ago, he was going to walk out of this place without looking back.

Now, only one thing was perfectly clear in John's mind; He wasn't going anywhere without her.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Author's note: Thank you so very much to those few of you who have been faithfully keeping up with this story. There's only one more chapter and that will be the epilogue with chapter 14 and I hope to have that posted by the end of the week. I know there are a lot of questions still unanswered but I leave that to your imagination. The purpose of this story was simply to introduce Detective John Sheppard to Teyla Emmagan. :)

I hope you've enjoyed this story. Thank you!

I own nothing of SGA. I wish I did because then the show would still be in the air.

Part 13

She rose from behind a wall of smoke like a scorned woman with a cause. Immediately, he noticed the bruises forming on her perfectly sculpted face, realizing the explosion must have thrown her somewhere at some point into space. Abruptly, he knew he had been terrified, thinking he'd never see her again.

And there she was, coming from the fire, carrying a young one in her arms, soothing his cries with her hands.

He went towards her, as if his life depend it on it. He wasn't sure, but he could have sworn that she walked towards him just as anxiously as he did towards her. With each step, slowly closer to one another, they neared, until finally they both stopped only inches away from each other. For a long moment neither one of them thought of anything to say to the other, but he could feel her presence within his mind, and he nearly fell forward at the realization.

Suddenly, she leaned forward, and gestured her forehead to meet his, and their foreheads kissed.

Then, like most moments like this in his life, it disintegrated. They each stepped back, back into the world, into a reality that was still unknown to them both.

She looked down into the child in her arms, and rocked his body in a soothing manner.

"This is my son, Torren." She added with a tearful smile.

Instantly, he felt too many regrets.

"And I am..."

"Teyla." He couldn't explain how he knew, but it all made sense to him now.

She smiled and all his worries vanished.

"Yes. I am Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tagan, leader of the Athosians." Straightening her stance, her posture spoke authority and honor. Yet, her eyes shone bright with loyalty, trust and much appreciation, and it was all geared towards him.

How he managed to gain that level of respect from her, he'll probably never truly know. Yet, he knew without a doubt that he felt just the same for her. And it terrified him.

John Sheppard had never experienced anything like this before. He's lived his life in a haze, following and sometimes not following orders from others, never really understanding the meaning of life to the fullest and never really finding any purpose or reason beyond just living for the next day.

But she is different.

And not just because she is beautiful, not just because she could clearly whip his ass in more ways than one, and not simply because she could read his mind like he could recite all the parts of a jet-figther.

No, there's more, but for the life of him, he couldn't explain it. And right now, he didn't have to. He just knew she was real, and she had come to him, just as he had come for her. A common union that was inexplicable, but so very real.

Her coming forward back into society was going to shake the ends of the earth and the sands of time. No, he couldn't foresee into the future, nor did he ever believe in any destiny, but only the one that he made for himself. Yet, already in his mind he was plotting ways to rid of the Wraith, to protect the Athosians at all cost, and to fight alongside her for a very long time, and if he was lucky, maybe even more.

Their eyes met and there was an understanding. A newly found friendship, and trust and hopefully later, something much more. He secretly promised that only to himself. And yet, by the look in her eyes, he could see something similar within her eyes, as well.

As the world around him came into view, the gathering of a people started to encircle them.

"You have earned both my friendship and that of my people, John Sheppard. Our paths have been destined since before our time and we are called now to unite and fight a war for the cause of humanity. I've watched your people, and I've watched you for much longer. We will triumph. Together, we can defeat the Wraith and perhaps," She leaned closer for him to hear only, "a peaceful world together."

John Sheppard smiled, knowing that from that moment on, his life would never be the same.


End file.
